stadtenergie

Advancing the digital energy transition

stadtenergie is the innovative brainchild of the city of Dortmund’s utility DEW21: a sort of digital “speedboat” for sustainable energy. As with Vodafone, contract procedures are historically complex – and the market is moving fast. We had to find a way to stand out from a whole range of other digital providers.

The stadtenergie brand name and the company values of “security, ease, joy” already existed, but there was no corporate design nor any visual specifications. It was an open space – just the way we like it.

CHALLENGE

Focusing on speed & sustainability

Starting in January 2020, our first task was to visually capture the stadtenergie USP: the combination of security, decades of experience and the flexibility of an agile, technology-driven team. Creating a dynamic corporate & web design also had to incorporate the core values of the brand.

First we designed the new logo: an organic shape with the colour orange symbolising warmth and complemented by purple, which stands for transformation – the perfect combination.

STRATEGY - PART 1

UX/UI, playfully interactive

Addressing a broad range of target groups, the online contracting process had to be fast, simple and convenient. First, a modern technical basis was established by switching to powercloud. As a central feature of the new site, we developed a super-fast and user-friendly tariff calculator. Next, the order flows for two tariffs were elaborated on Figma, in intense coordination with the client.

Smartphones are now also shaping users’ expectations of regular websites: All interactions need to be quick, easy and fun to keep people motivated. With a clear structure and the most important content at a glance, many dynamic-interactive elements were integrated.

At the heart of the homepage are the attractive bonuses for new customers, displayed in previews. Ultimately the whole page follows the core values of “comfort, ease, joy”: here you are cared for, here everything is easy and fun.

Following the launch of the website in October 2020, we also developed a series of social media campaigns with a number of light-hearted and humorous motives, aimed at a younger clientele.

STRATEGY - PART 2

Promoting digital business transformation

Since the new stadtenergie web page launched in October 2020, we have developed several social media campaigns. Customer and professional feedback has been highly positive.

Stadtenergie was able to:

deliver over 350 GWh of green energy

offset over 46K tonnes of CO²

generate over 85% customer recommendations

From the stadtenergie experience, DEW21 has gained new insights into digital sales and will develop corresponding business models. The digital focus enables stadtenergie to also react more quickly in terms of product development and customer communication.

OUTCOME & OUTLOOK